Nadine, Persimmon, the darling fainting goat arrive, following Jael.

The summer is slowly drawing to an end, but there's still a reasonable amount of warmth to the air that makes this evening enjoyable. A light spread of food has been set out across the patio tables and Cristoph has taken a seat on one of the high stools, feet settled comfortably across the bottom rung. It's ASK ANYTHING ABOUT BEES and Cristoph might have an answer. Norwood probably does have the answer. Jael also probably has some answers! Someone, somewhere, has some answers.

Two women chatter amongst themselves as they approach the gardens of Laurent manor. They are arm in arm, Braelynn and Piccola, and deep in conversation as they walk. When they enter the area filled with more people their private conversation halts for a moment as Braelynn glances up and looks around those present, giving anyone who catches her eye a brilliant smile. She turns to Piccola and says more conversationally. "It's known that bees can enhance the growing of flowers. I'm thinking that perhaps a beehive would fit well into my plans for a flower market. I must admit that I know very little about them, though. Hopefully I'll learn something today."

Merek makes a way to the manse, his white-black attire on along with the scarf which he wears, while he walks up into the place. It was talk about bees, the man wanted to learn, though he's quiet about it all.

Answers? Hamil's not sure if he's looking for answers, but he agreed to meet someone here. And Laurent is family, but extension through being Calista's first cousin. Arriving at the pool, he's still breaking in the rubicund armor that with it's designs and coloring could be mistaken for the Torean rose in which it was designed after. In his hands, he carries a small box, and when he notices Barelynn and Piccola, he offers a warm smile and bow of his head. "Piccola, Ladhy Braelynn."

Alis has settled herself into a cozy corner of a sofa, sunk deep into a cushion though the bright white of her hair means she's not quite lost in it. Phew! Obviously, she is here to be supportive right? Right!

Jael has wobbled her obviously pregnant self out to the gardens and pool ahead of the rush, and settled herself in a chaise near where her brother is perched, where she can either pretend to listen attentively or pretend to know the answers to questions, as it suits her. There's a plate of dessert items within easy reach.

Norwood looks as perky as a world-weary veteran can be, standing at attention and waiting for someone to ask him questions about bees. Ah, but there is Alis! Excuse him, he'sgoing to go walk over there.

Zara, who still has an outstanding challenge to answer, strolls on through the gardens with all the serenity of someone who has -- in her head, in her heart -- already answered and won the duel. IT'S GONNA HAPPEN. But right now, _for now_, she approaches Alis to hand her a list of items for quiet discussion that sure sounds an awful lot like, "These were the stupidest questions about bees I could find. I asked around the manor. Do you want to split them up?"


"That's an idea."

The fact that Piccola is garbed in a dress may be alarming for those that know her. While it is certainly the right height and fit, the woman is, perhaps unfortunately, not blessed with the joyous curves that most ladies sport. Years of war and riding have given her the sort of body that isn't really flattered by sheer dresses, but, Jayus bless her, she's //trying//. "Did you know that there's a military use for bees? True story, actually. We were defending a manse that happened to have an apiary when -- "

She stops when addressed; she says to Hamil, "Lord Fidante."


Norwood checked composure at difficulty 20, rolling 1 higher.

Looking pleased as punch when Zara approaches with THE list, Alis reaches out with a grabby hand gesture. "Do you really have to ask? Of course I do." They are definitely not conspiring together. Not at all. And she appears entirely innocent looking when a gesture is made towards the couch for Norwood as well. "Please feel free to join us." she offers, before looking at one of the swords at his hip, looking back up and leaning over to mutter something at him.

Gliding with an easy statuesque bearing, Brigid is a creature not covered in horse hair or clad in riding boots but something else that suggests she was stuck in meetings all day. Dark hair is pinned up in a loose combed collection but already the heat was causing tendrils to spring playfully and annoyingly against pale cheeks and neck. Was that a -bee- at her neck? No, just an impish curl. A nod was given to Norwood, flashing him a wry smile before attention drifted towards Cristoph where a respectful nod is given, Jael who wins a smile from the Dragoon is also greeted with a dip of sable crown. Lastly silvery eyes rest curious and weighty on Hamil, easing towards the Fidante with a gracefully trained Barrett at her heels," Lord Hamil."

Norwood is only half paying attention to Alis when she looks at his sword and mutters. A finger comes up in a, 'one moment please' before he turns to shoot Cristoph a PAINED LOOK. Please tell people not to use bees as weapons. Bees are FRIENDS. Not swords. The thought stings to even THINK ABOUT.

Then Norwood turns back to Alis for nice quite conversations.

Norwood has joined the a cozy sofa nook.

Zara has joined the a cozy sofa nook.

"You look amazing, Piccola." Hamil offers in greetings to the tactical-sized Tessere general. "As do you, Lady Deepwood." That to Braelynn. "You make quite the handsome pair." But he notices the movement near him and when Brigid speaks up, the knight turns and a smile blossoms, the scars on the side of his jaw tugged slightly. "Lady Brigid. It is good to see you again." he offers. "I look forward to talking with you about the horses later." But he's presenting the box to her with a small word, not quiet enough for a whisper. "I am fine with plain tea in black, but if we swear off honey at this, we may find ourselves in a sticky political situation."

Cristoph didn't hear whatever it was that has Norwood upset, so when he starts giving him a pained look, he turns to him and seems confused. He frowns a little and shakes his head in that confusion, one eyebrow lifted as he glances around him. Not seeing anything super amis, he lifts a hand. "Hello! This is a simple question and answer about bees, which as you know, is House Laurent's speciality. I don't personally tend bees myself, but I'm happy to answer any questions you have. We also have Lady Jael with us and Baron Clement. Lets start?"

When Hamil approaches Braelynn and Piccola Braelynn smiles brightly and she says, "Lord Hamil, what a delight it is to see you again!" She raises a brow and she says to Hamil, "Lady Piccola was just in the process of telling me about how bees could be used in war. Intesting, isn't it? I would think they would be little more than an annoyance, though I suppose it would distract someone from the fight.. what with all the stings." She glances back to Piccola and she says, "I do agree with Lord Hamil, you know. You look absolutely divine tonight. I'll be beating off eligible bachelors with a stick if you continue to dress this way, you know."

Norwood sees that Cristoph doesn't understand and reaches out to snag a servant, whispers in his ear, and then points him at Cristoph. Go tell him that thing.

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Cristoph before departing.

Alis has joined the line.

Jael returns Brigid's greeting with a returned smile and a little wave, before sitting up a little bit straighter when Cristoph throws her name in the bee-expert ring. At least she thinks she's sitting up straighter. It really comes off more as a futile wriggle.

Alis is eager to help get this party started, and as soon as Cristoph opens the forum for questions she immediately signals that she would /love/ to ask a question. And despite a rather serious looking comment towards Norwood, she is all smiles when she waits to be called upon.

4 Redoubt Buccaneers, Luna, the Darkwater Assistant arrive, following Carita.

Hamil has joined the line.

When Norwood starts making comments to him, he's furrowing his eyebrows up again. Cristoph rubs his hand over his face and stares at him askew before saying, "Please don't use bees as weapons. Also honey is not very good for a flammable weapon." He points to Alis, "We'll start with Priness Alis. I'm sure this is going to be good."


"Thank you."

Piccola gives both Hamil and Braelynn a half-smile, but otherwise does not comment on how good she looks or how many suitors she may win in it. "I feel tremendously undressed, to be frank. Naked, almost." She makes a face, and then curls her arm about Braelynn's a little tighter. "Anyhow, about bees and battle -- " She leads her partner gently towards a place where they can talk together. (Possibly without angering Norwood to distraction.)

" -- there is no greater foe for a man in full plate than a swarm of bees."


Piccola has joined the an outdoor hearth with couch seating.

Alis stops mid-word to Norwood, and struggles her way off the couch cushion so that she can be seen a bit more clearly. "Thank you, Duke Laurent." Unfolding the piece of paper in her hand, she glances downwards quickly and then back up. "Do they really have knees?" Gods she looks so proud of herself for that question, expression prim and proper, hands lacing together in front of herself while she waits for the answer.

Braelynn has joined the an outdoor hearth with couch seating.

Hearing Cristoph coupled with Piccola's statement about bees and full plate makes Braelynn laugh heartily, and when Piccola finds a comfortable seat on a couch she sinks down next to her. She's still smiling when she hears Alis' question and that just makes her laugh all over again. "Oh my! They had to expect this, didn't they?"

Braelynn crosses one leg over hte other and she looks over at Piccola, raising a brow. She doesn't say anything about her clothing from that point on, but there's certainly mischief in her eyes.

Carita's entrance is quiet, or at least as quiet as one can be with a small entourage before she pauses to survey the gathering. Her smile is warm for those she knows, a few minor finger waves, a few get a dipped head in recognition and respect, but after a moment of contemplation, she heads for the cozy sofa. "Baron Norwood, lovely to see you again. It's been far too long." There's a smile for Alis and Zara as she asks, "Do you mind if I join?"

Cristoph checked composure at difficulty 10, rolling 2 higher.

Turn in line: Alis

Turn in line: Hamil

Looking over in Alis' direction, Cristoph lifts his chin to hear her question. Her answer is met with a lingering of his gaze and he nods his head a few times while maintaining a polite exterior. As if this is a very serious question and not one that Alis is using to poke at him, "Yes, they do have knees. Thank you for your question, Princess Alis. Lord Hamil?"

While waiting for Brigid to return, Hamil hears his name called and makes his way over. "Duke Cristoph, first it's a privilege to meet extended family." the rose knight starts, before asking his question. "How does a bumblebee fly with it's fat little body and little bitty wings?"

Alis inclines her head politely towards the Countess when she approaches. "Not at all, my lady. Please be welcome." she murmurs, gesturing to another of the open spaces at the cozy couch. One could almost never tell that she is sorely disappointed that Cristoph maintains a stoic facade; she just returns his gaze with slightly narrowed eyes. She will prevail! "Thank you kindly, Duke Laurent. We will invest in tiny little kneepads for the hives."

Norwood's face takes on a HUGE smile when Carita approaches. He rises and bows to the woman, "@emit Norwood's face takes on a HUGE smile when Carita approaches. He rises and bows to the woman, "Couness Carita, nothing could be more pleasurable than having you join us. Please. We were just discussing a matter of concern to Alis."

Tobias, a pine marten arrives, delivering a message to Piccola before departing.

Cristoph checked composure at difficulty 11, rolling 1 lower.

Carita has joined the a cozy sofa nook.

There was a brief lapse in words, slender and calloused fingers collecting the offered gift with the work of a smile on lush lips and while there were a host of questions that wanted to burst forth, for the moment the Moore was content to beam and try to fight a laugh that wanted to bubble forth. As Hamil starts his question, bright eyes rest on the Fidante's face with her usual assessing peer, glancing towards whoever would answer the question for.

A curious glance is given to Piccola in an absent fashion, if only to remember to talk to the woman about horses since Gaspar was doing something super important like getting married or some nonsense.

Brigid has joined the line.

And so it starts early. Lord Hamil, who Cristoph has never met in his life asks that question about the bumblebees and he looks over at him. He squints. He looks in Zara's direction, like somehow she's responsible for these questions. Then he starts to laugh, very quietly, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'm sorry, ah hem. Bumblebees aren't honey producers, so I'm not as familiar with them. But I assure you if they can fly, their wing to body ratio is appropriate."

Hamil looks confused, and asks, obliviously. "But they are bees, right?"

"Lord Hamil, there is a great deal of difference between honeybees and other species of bees." That's the former bee-farmer popping up. "They are as different as a teacup dog and a mastiff."

Hamil is just about to ask /another/ question, but he realizes that it's NO LONGER HIS TURN, and he stops. "Of course." he offers, not looking very convinced as he makes room for the next person in line.

"Do you want to kindly explain the differences then? " A glance and flutter of lashes towards Norwood, trying her best not to needle the Clement but already she's smirking.

"They're definitely bees," Cristoph assures Hamil, nodding his head quickly.

Turn in line: Brigid

Norwood will let Cristoph explain the difference, since Brigid is next in line. That also isn't a crazy as hell question, so.

"Is your question to please explain the difference between bumblebees and honeybees?" Cristoph asks quickly.

" Actually, that is not -my- question but I figured if you wouldn't mind explaining the difference while you were still on the subject it would be helpful before I take us in another direction." A small smile is given.

Looking around, and after a moment's decision, Hamil starts to lead Brigid to the treehouse for them to coup up to talk while the questions are flying -- but pauses so that she may offer her own.

Piccola has joined the line.

"From what I understand, bumblebees are the ones with the fat bodies that look very fuzzy. Sort of like one of those extra fluffy dogs you sometimes see my cousin Lady Mabelle carting around. Honeybees are smaller and slimmer. Like Lady Jael's dog that I gave her for her wedding! They both have hair. And while bumblebees help the flowers as well, House Laurent doesn't beekeep them because we're in honey production and they don't do that. Does that help? I even used dogs as in Baron Clement's analogy!" Cristoph looks hopeful that this was useful.

A nod of her head is given the imagery of dogs awfully helpful and it even causes Barrett to get a scritch as an after thought, " My question would be if there was a specific type of honey that is used in the crafting of mead and if so, how does one know as an example that wildflower pollen hadn't tainted the hive with clover pollen?"

A glance then towards Hamil, waiting for the answer before she would then follow the Fidante...to the treehouse.

Jael looks around for her dog, which might be helpful to present at this point, but it's not there. "Bumblebees are pollenators, but do not make honey. Well, not honey that is of use to people."

Hamil has joined the a comfortable wooden treehouse.

Brigid has joined the a comfortable wooden treehouse.

"Typically clover honey, but you can use other types depending on what the usage is," Cristoph answers, scratching his jaw. "I wouldn't consider the honey tainted if one bee happened to bring back a different type of honey. They'll produce from what's most readily available. It's a game of numbers in terms of what they have access to."

Hamil has joined the line.

Turn in line: Piccola

Carita's smile curls as she listens, "Which is how the marriage of Laurent bees and the Darkwater healing pool's flowers made such an interesting combined effort."


Piccola says something quietly to Braelynn, and then lifts herself up to stand.

"How long does it take to develop a productive apiary?" she asks loudly enough to get to where the experts sit. Then, she takes her seat again, and waits for the answer. Gods only know exactly why she asked that question.

Maybe she's thinking of growing her own hives ... for war.


Alis has joined the line.

Looking between Piccola and Norwood, Cristoph gestures over to the baron. "Baron Norwood worked for many years in the field. I think probably has a better answer for that than myself, would you please?"

Jael glances over at Carita from her chaise, the corner of her mouth ticking up slightly. "Yes, that was a /very/ interesting experiment."

Braelynn has joined the line.

Carita shines her smile Jael's way, "It really was, wasn't it? Thankfully profitable for everyone involved."

Called upon to answer Norwood looks away from his company, flashing Carita a smile in the process, because //peace honey// is the greatest thing he has ever been involved in, then turns to Piccola for her not terrible question. "You want to start an apiary in early April, when the bees begin to swarm. Technically, you can harvest in the first four to six months, but if you want a long lasting hive, it's best to wait a full year. The first winter is hardest on a hive and they need as much food stored up as possible to survive it. The second year they have more excess."

Turn in line: Hamil

"That was an informative answer. I see we have..." Cristoph looks over and... up? "Lord Hamil again."

From the treehouse, it takes several moments before Hamil calls out, "Uh... I forgot my question. Pass!"

Turn in line: Alis

"Oh, uh, okay!" Cristoph eyeballs the treehouse and then leans over and nudges Norwood in the side and points up before whispering something. "Princess Alis!"

Alis doesn't stand up for her next question, instead perhaps relying on her cushions, her guards, and the people bracketing her to save her from Cristoph when she has cleared her throat enough to ask. "Do they send secret messages with their antennae?" Both hands lift, a finger pointed upward for each as they rest atop her head so she can wiggle them to and fro in demonstration. Again with the absolute deadpan expression.

Norwood checked composure at difficulty 50, rolling 19 lower.

"No, they send messages with their butts," Jael says with great authority.

Norwood gets nudged and Cristoph is talking to him and he just.... STARES at his Duke. "I did swear to obey you." Whatever that means, and then he rises. "Excuse me, I'll be right back." to Alis, Carita, and Zara, before he goes for the treehouse.

Norwood has left the a cozy sofa nook.

Norwood has joined the a comfortable wooden treehouse.

"Like that code with short and long sounds? Is it a wiggle, or more like a toot." Alis seeks to clarify from Jael.

Norwood looks awkward as fuck climbing the tree.

"It is more of a wiggle," Jael replies, really leaning hard into her role as Voice of Laurent here. "Or a series of wiggles. No, I am not going to demonstrate."

Carita laughs softly, dipping her head Norwood's way as he rises. "I understand," is said softly before she turns her attention on those she's seated with, lowering her voice for them.

Alis opens mouth, raises hand to object. "Not even to me? Think of the silent messages we could pass on the battlefield!" she protests, with a sigh. "Fine."

Jael just points at her prominent pregnant belly. As if that's the only thing keeping her from showing off her bee moves. Maybe it is.

Turn in line: Braelynn

Re-situating himself again, Cristoph turns and listens as Jael gives her descriptive answer of how bees communicate. He nods a couple of times, amusement apparent across his face, even as he's glancing up to watch as Norwood ascends the tree. He folds his hands over on his lap. "Perhaps another time Lady Jael can demonstrate. Lady Braelynn?"

Braelynn stands quickly as her name is called and she says, "Well, I cannot demonstrate either, I'm sorry to say. I do have a question though!" She gives Jael and Alis a little grin, obviously amused by their teasing. "My question is this... I've heard that flowers growing near bee hives often grow to sizes far larger than their counterparts. Say one wanted to harness this into.. a greenhouse, or in flowers grown for ornamental purposes... how could one do it? Will bee hives survive in the heat and humidity of a greenhouse?"

Braelynn jumps too, because... ahem.. apparently someone goosed her just as she stood up. She does let out a little squeak too.


Piccola looks about with a calm, innocent expression. "Must've been a bee," she offers.


Braelynn looks back at Piccola. "I don't beeeeelieve you." She grins and makes a little zzzz sound before turning her attention back to Cristoph.

If folk have a cause to look over, they'll see a wildly amused Brigid and a scooting over Hamil to make room for Baron Norwood as he joins them. And yes, it did look hilarious that he had started to clamber up but probably no more hilarious than Brigid trying to do it in a freakin' dress.

Regarding the greenhouse question, Cristoph takes in a deep breath and cants his head to the side. "Bees survive in the heat and humidty of summer. But they don't do well in greenhouses. It's a confined space and it tends to make them confused, they bump into the walls and such. They can become disoriented and lost."

"Oh." Braelynn says, looking disappointed. "Silly bees." She plops back onto the couch next to Piccola with a sigh. "So much for that idea."

The line has been dismissed by Cristoph.

With Braelynn the last person in the cue, Cristoph takes in a deep breath and claps his hands together. "Thank you for coming out tonight for our question and answer. Some of your questions caused me to think more than others. If anything comes up, please don't hesitate to write one of the three of us." A glance is given to where Norwood has gone, before a polite smile is shared to crowd. "Feel free to take anything off the snack table or grab a drink before you go."

After some effort, Jael heaves herself out of her chaise. "I'm afraid I need to...go." And she departs with some haste, and absolutely no posterior wiggling.